Eaves trough braces



March 28, 1961 G. D. AUSTIN EAVES TROUGH BRACES Filed Feb. 21. 1955 FIG.

I INVENTOR. GEORGE DON AUSTIN FIG.4

U ed States Patent EAVES TROUGH BRACES George Don Austin, Denver, 'Colo., assignor to Western Wire Products Company, St.- Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Filed Feb. 21, 1955, Ser. No. 489,511

This invention relates in general to certain new and useful improvements in eaves trough braces.

' flange f and the crook 4 extends upwardly and rear- It is the primary object of the present invention to provide an eaves trough brace which can be manufactured very simply and efliciently from heavy wire stock or other similar inexpensive material.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an eaves trough brace which can be installed easily and quickly with a minimum of labor, but will nevertheless afiord a secure and effective support for the eaves trough.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an eaves trough brace which can be installed and removed as desired without any appreciable damage to the roof or to the eaves trough and, when in place, will have a firm, permanent attachment to the eaves trough.

With the above and other objects in view, my invention resides in the novel features of form, construction; arrangement, and combination of parts presently described and pointed out in theclaims.

In the accompanying drawings (one sheet)- Figures 1 and 2 are side elevational and bottom plan views, respectively, of an eaves trough brace constructed in accordance with and embodying the present invention;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of a roofstructure, showing the eaves trough brace of the present invention in place;

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view taken along line '44 of Figure 3; and

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 5-5 of Figure 4.

Referring now in'more detail and by reference characters to the drawings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the present invention, A designates an eaves trough brace formed preferably of heavy galvanized wire stock or other similar relatively inexpensive material and integrally includes a straight elongated shank 1 bent upwardly at an oblique angle for a short distance at one end to provide a straight divergent offset section 2, which is, in turn, bent downwardly to form a pointed or sharpened spike 3, the latter being substantially perpendicular to the shank 1. At its other end, the shank 1 is bent downwardly at an oblique angle which is considerably sharper than the angle of the otrsetsection 2, thereby providing a crook-portion 4, the center-line of which is co-planar with the center-lines of the shank 1,

the offset section '2, and the spike 3. The crook 4 is bent laterally at its outer end to provide a hook-section 5, which is substantially perpendicular to the common plane of the center-lines of the shank 1, the offset section 2, the spike 3, and the crook 4.

In use, the sheet metal guttering G, which is of conventional form and is formed with a return-bent flange f is nailed or otherwise attached in the usual manner to the flashing-board b, as shown in Figures 3 and 4. In the course of installing the guttering G, the flange f thereof is provided with a plurality of small apertures x too much as the spike 3 is hammered into the roof R,

during initial installation, therefore, if, at any time, it should become necessary to remove the eaves trough brace A, this removal operation can be easily performed with minimum damage to the roof R by inserting a prying tool, such as the claw of a conventional claw hammer or the blade of a screw driver under the offset section 2 and prying the spike upwardly.

t should be understood that changes and modifications in the form, construction, arrangement, and combination of the several parts of the eaves trough brace may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described without departing from the nature and principle of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An eaves trough brace for supporting an eaves trough which has an outer flange with a hole contained therein, said brace comprising an elongated straight shank bent upwardly at an oblique angle at one end in the provision of a straight divergent ofi'set portion, a spike-like portion integrally formed on the outer end of said offset portion and being adapted to be driven into a roof, said spike-like portion being perpendicular to said shank and lying in the plane formed by said shank and divergent offset portion, a second offset portion integrally formed on the other end of said shank, said offset portion extending downwardly at an obtuse angle to the shank and having its longitudinal axis lying in said plane, and an elongated terminal member integrally connected directly to the'free end of said second offset portion and being substantially perpendicular throughout its length to said plane, said terminal member being adapted for insertionlin a hole formed in the outer flange of an eaves trough. v

2. An eaves trough brace for supporting an eaves trough Which has an outer flange with a hole contained therein, said brace comprising an elongated straight shank bent upwardly at an oblique angle at one end in the provision of a straight divergent offset portion, a spike-like portion integrally formed on the outer end of said oflset portion and being adapted to be driven into a roof, said spike-like portion being perpendicular to said shank and lying in the plane formed by said shank and divergent offset portion, a second offset portion integrally formed on the other end of said shank, said offset portion extending downwardly at an obtuse angle to the shank and having its longitudinal axis 3 end in the provision of a straight, divergent, ofiset portion, a spike-like portion integrally formed on the outer end of said ofiset portion and being adapted to be driven into a roof, said spike-likeportion being perpendicular to said shank and lying in the plane formed by said shank and divergent"offset-portion, a second offset portion integrally formed on the other end of said shank, said offset portion extending downwardly at an obtuse angle to the shank and having its longitudinal axis lying in said plane, the angle between said second oflset portion and shank being less than the angle between the shank and divergent oflset portion, and an elongated substantially straight terminal member integrally connected to the free end 'ofsaid second offset portion and being substantially perpendicular to said plane through out its length, said terminal member being adapted for insertion in a hole' formed in the outer flange of an eaves trough.

4. An eaves trough brace for supporting an eaves trough which has an outer flange with a hole contained therein, said brace comprising an, elongated straight shank bent upwardly at an oblique angle at one end in the provision of a straight divergent ofiset portion, a spike-like portion integrally attached to the outer end of said offset portion through an arcuate bend of radius smaller than the length of said offset portion to achieve structural rigidity between said spike and said offset portion and being adapted to be driven into a roof, said spike-like portion being perpendicular to said shank and lying in the plane formed by said shank and divergent oflset portion, a second oflset portion integrally formed on the other end of said shank, said offset portion extending downwardly at an obtuse angle to the shank and having its longitudinal axis lying in said plane, the

angle between said second oflfset portion and shank being less than the angle between the shank and divergent offset portion, and an elongated substantially straight terminal member integrally connected to the free end of said second offset portion and being substantially perpendicular to said plane throughout its length, said terminal member being adapted for insertion in the hole formed in the outer flange of said eaves trough.

5. An eaves trough brace for supporting an eaves trough which has an outer flange with a hole contained therein, said brace comprising an elongated straight shank bent upwardly at an oblique angle at one end in the provision of a straight divergent offset portion, a spike-like portion integrally attached to the outer end of said offset portion through an arcuate bend of radius smaller than the length of said offset portion to achieve structural rigidity between said spike and said offset portion and being adapted to be driven into a roof, said spike-like portion being perpendicular to said shank and lying in the plane formed by said shank and divergent offset portion, a second ofiset portion integrally formed on the other end of said shank, said ofiset portion extending downwardly at an obtuse angle to the shank, an arcuate bend radius between said offset and said shank being of substantially smaller radius than the length of said offset and having its longitudinal .axis lying in said plane to provide both structural rigidity and flange clearance, the angle between said second oflset portion and shank being less than the angle between the shank and divergent offset portion, and an elongated substantially straight terminal member integrally connected to the free end of said second ofiset portion and being substantially perpendicular to said plane throughout its length, said terminal member being adapted for insertion in the hole formed in the outer flange of said eaves trough.

6. An eaves trough brace for supporting an eaves trough which has an outer flange with a hole contained therein, said brace comprising an elongated straight shank bent upwardly at an oblique angle at one end in the provision of a straight divergent-onset portion, a spikelike portion integrally attached to the outer end of said offset portion through a bending radius smaller than the length of said offset portion to achieve structural rigidity between said spike and said offset portion and being adapted to be driven into a roof, said spike-like portion being perpendicular to said shank and lying in the plane formed by said shank and divergent offset portion, a second oflset portion integrally formed on the other end of said shank, said offset por'tiongextending downwardly at an obtuse angle to the shank, an arcuate' bend radius between said ofiset and said shank being of substantially smaller radius than the length of said oflset and having its longitudinal axis lying in said plane to provide both structural rigidity and flange clearance, the angle between said second offset portion and shank being less than the angle between the shank and divergent offset portion, and an elongated substantially straight terminal member integrally connected to the free end of said second oflset portion and being substantially perpendicular to said plane throughout its length, said terminal member being attached to said offset portion by an arcuate bend radius substantially smaller than the length of said terminal member to provide both structural rigidity and ease of insertion through the hole in the flange of saideaves trough.

7. An eaves trough brace for supporting an eaves trough which has an outer flange with a hole contained therein, said brace comprising an elongated straight shank bent upwardly at one end to provide an offset portion, a spike-like portion integrally attached to the outer end of said offset portion and being adapted to be driven into a roof, said spike-like portion being perpendicular to said shank and lying in the plane formed by said shank and offset portion, a second oflset portion integrally formed on the other end of ,said shank, said second offset portion extending downwardly at an obtuse angle to the shank and having its longitudinal axis lying in. said plane, and an elongated terminal member integrally connected to the free end of said second oflset portion and being substantiallyperpendicular to said plane throughout its length, said terminal member being adapted for insertion in the hole formed in the outer flange of the eaves trough.

References Cited in the file of thispatent UNITED STATES PATENTS 313,769 Reznor Mar. 10, 1885 1,365,296 Wirth Jan. 11, 1921 1,821,722 Neal Sept. 1, 1931 1,920,552 Dollerhide Aug. 1, 1933 2,641,428 Kirk et al. June 9, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 708,662 Great Britain May 5, 1954 

